Kelly Knights Middle School - Joao

On July 25th we went to Kelly Knights Middle School in order to see how summer classes takes place. First, I had the opportunity to watch a class of Maths. As it is untill today ,the discipline I always had more difficulty, I was curious to know how it is taught nowadays. I loved it. There were two teachers working together and there were a genuine bond among them and students. They were studying average and mean, and it was just great. I am sure those students had a high level of understanding right after. The reason: student centered classes. They were also very meaningful using examples taking in their context in class. Then, they went for the second part of the class, which was using role modelling real life situation such as using a menu restaurant. As they modelled, one was the costumer and the other taking the order, charging and giving change back. The teacher provided them with money like bills and they were able to understand the situation and find the rest should they really bought something in a restaurant.
After Maths class, we went to an english one. There were three teachers because not many students showed up that day. The students were the same from previous class. They were also great there. Previously, the teacher Dr Shepper - if I'm not mistaken - told me they were students who had some kind of difficulty and were there in order to have more specific class. I could not noticed much difficult with those kinds. Instead, I was able to see kids really enjoying the class. They started discussing about a book previously read, then had a gallery walking as they produced posters based on what they learned, summarized and found the main idea.
After that, they listened to a teacher reading for them a new story called ' Walking on fire '. They were stimulated to jot down and after the teacher helped them find what the main idea was.
In the final 20 minutes they were given books about misteries and the same procedure was applied. However, they were given freedom to stay wherever they wanted as long as they continued reading. The teachers emphasized them to jot down the ideas and extract the main idea.
Professionally speaking, they were superb. I guess I would like to have had - as a child - similar classes in which freedom and responsability are part of the same learning system .
I do understand that in classes with more students , probably there would be some difficulties. Nonetheless, whenever classes are student centered those difficulties are mitigated and learning effectively takes place.

Educational System in USA and Brazil - Joao

On July 22nd we had a class with Dr Lanier about the Educational System in the USA. I was reaaly looking forward to it, as I wanted to understand the major differences here and in Brazil.
What really stands apart first is that each city and state has the right to define how their system can be. This discussion is taken in Brazil. However, all of them depend on  federal funding.The result of this policy in my opinion is that the  school system can not apply local solutions. Instead, they relly on a massively slow bureaucracy in which thousands of papers and documents need to filled up losing focus on the main point which should be quality education for those legally expected to attend school.
As for the types of schools they are fairly similar in Brazil. As we follow the models of public and private. I understood the charter one, however, in Brazil, studying in one city and living in another would not be an issue. Specially for those parents who need to work and take to a school near their job places.
Dr Lanier mentioned in the final part that the educational goal is " create critical thinkers to maintain democracy". That is the core of my belief, not only for school, but also for life.Nonetheless, critcal thinking is an asset not regularly observed. Actully, we have always lived in Brazil a kind of education despising throughout years.
There were a metaphor for teacher as garderners which I really appreciated as well. I hope to be one of those.
In Summary, in the end of Dr Lanier lecture, I learned a lot abouth the educational system in the USA and what is different in Brazil as far as it is concerned. I was also able to understand the different types of school. As for the main goal i agree that the school needs to be the place where students learn to think critically in order to maintain democracy as an asset.

joao - Micro teaching speaking lessons -

On July 17th, we started our micro teaching lesson on speaking in Joe's class. I have to say that they were great. Reflecting on them, I am pretty sure, I learned a lot in every class. Most of us put a lot of effort on building a meaningful lesson in wich we could gain more experiences and difficulties. I was surprised on some teaching classes about the quality and drive. I am not satisfied with my lesson as I did not give student's talking time. I have many ideas why it happened this way, but they could sound likeexcuse which does not lead me to any learning or reflexion.
However, the outcome makes me obviously think how i could do it better and i am positive I apply the same class to my students and give them the appropriate talking time. Nevertheless, i am happy with the overal state of my learning time here and this definitely will help me in my classes in Brazil.
i can not forget to mention that Christina's classes are giving me back the theoretical back ground in which we tend to forget while so long immersed in classes, usually on a hands on approach. In Joe's class I am also reflecting and they are helping me understand better the little details and steps in which classes can be more communicative, meaningful and joyful for my fellow students and also for myself.

Joao - Race in USA and Brazil

On july 15th we had a class with Dr Robinson in which the theme of race relations were discussed and analysed through the perspective from the USA beginning as a nation and how it is in the present time.
 First, what have drawn my attention was the fact that thisrace issue was deliberstely planned in order to keep people of color or other non european white people out of the core of the nation. This can be noticed with the natives, latin and asian in general. Reflecting upon that I could notice that in Brazil, we had in similar approach in which we kept those non european ones out of the decisions of the country. There was even a name given for those actions were lighting the people of country when they stimulate white europeans settlers to come to Brazil to work as farmers. However, as soon as they got there, they realized that they would not be farmers, they would be peasants working to pay their duties back as they did not have money to set their own farms or crops. This made integration harder, what helped keep those 'different' ones out of the society, creating an outcast group within the country.
A striking sentence mentioned by Dr Robinson citing katznelson was " affirmative action was white" just the same as what was placed in my own country. The question I posed for reflection and it was the one I asked him is how we translate to those guys who nurture this division that the strengths to country comes from being together and not the opposite. For him and for my understanding this is an unanswered question. Yet, I will reflect about it with my students in my english classes as a way of helping ourselves understand it better.

Homelessness class - Joao

Reflecting throughout this period here at University of Arkansas, it has made me think about my teaching process in Brazil comparing to what I have been exposed here through classes. I have been thinking about methods and procedures and how I can apply them in class. On, July 10^th we had a class with Joe in which the topic of discussion was homelessness. It is a topic in which I am very much interested, so it stroke me from beginning. My first reflection about the class was to think how I can draw student’s attention through topics which I think necessary to talk about, even if it is a hard one.

So, the class started with Joe eliciting from us words and vocabulary related to the topic of homelessness. In groups of four we started discussing and suggesting words related to the subject. Many words came up, so a vocabulary was built and set for the whole class. We discussed about causes and consequences and how it is here and in Brazil. After that, the audio session took place and we could learn about a boy who decided to help those who are in this situation. So, a new discussion took place and a true and false exercise was proposed in order to check on our comprehension of the audio. Another exercise was a filling the blanks exercises with key words. After that, it was presented an exercise which I liked very much which was inferring the meaning of the audio through different ways of writing questions related to its comprehension. An exercise related to direct questions related to audio also was applied and the total comprehension of the audio and text was completed.

Finally, the Professor set a discussion for closing the comprehension of class content and we could be able to say and feel we understood the topic and the way we could perform a class like that. Definitely, I will apply that class model. Even though, I teach some classes similarly, I do believe I can give more depth to those in order to make my classes more meaningful to my students.

Leadership class - Joao

On July 10th we had a class on Leadership and Organizational Change by Dean Shields, which I was very interested to follow due to a special interest on this topic. The reason for that is that it makes me wonder about myself as a teacher being a leader and about my students.

First, I noticed through his topic introduction that,  there has always been a misconception that to be a leader you must be that outspoken and talkative kind of person who draws attention for yourself all the time. Also, there is a commom belief on this old view that the leader must be this type of bully guy, who gets things to be done through fear and imposition. Nothing so far from reality on this new 21st century new set of rules.

I understood through his speech that leadership comes from respect, dialogue and agreement. It is understood through a set of examples performed by the leaders and team members. The feeling of fear must be changed by adressing thiose led by clear discussion about the points needed to be improved. Giving chances through formal signed agreement is also important to keep a fair sense of justice with the people.

 As for myself, i was interested on knowing how shy people, like my case, can be a leader as well. Actually, this topic was not so clearly mentioned, but through the concepts he provided us, I am pretty sure we can also be. Keeping an open mind, fair sense of justice and task driven, certainly we also can strive on that and contribute to society in any field we are in.

Speaking specifically about education, I believe that what was adressed on the class is essential in this new century as people are more connected, having different approaches on all sorts of things and not taking things for granted. So, communication is the key, in special one which listens more than impose on people.

Joao - Name game team work class

In our very first class at the University of Arkansas we had a name game conducted by the Professors Gavin, Joe and Christina. Technically, I thought it to be a warm up for our class. It took place in a mixed class with brazilians and nationals from Iraq. Personally, I enjoyed the nature of the activity, because it made me reflect on how a name could sound for others. Also, the importance given to the name of a person probably makes one feel more important and welcome. In classes back home, I like to extend that asking for their days of birth and city they were born, It is quite astonishing realize that some of them have no idea about simple straightforward things like this related to their own life.

The activity did work for me as it also helped me remember the names of my peers, specially the non brazilian ones.

The second activity required a little more sharing and team work, which I noticed to be a bit more difficult for some of us. I guess that the cultural differences arose during class and brought some tension.

Nevertheless, I would suggest teachers be doing that in order to get lessons done in an interactive way. I also believe that as soon as the tension wanes out learning takes place effectively.

I reckon that the name game is for all ages and backgrounds as it is fun and meaningful to anyone. Regarding the second activity , the teacher needs to work among students in order to break tension and consequently have the learner be comfortable and concious of the process he or she is in.

First lesson in Fayeteville by João

Reflecting upon my first week here in Fayeteville and University of Arkansas, I should say I have had many experiences here that I will take in consideration back home whenever I work teaching or on a regular daily basis.

Jetlagged on Friday, few hours after our arrival, we were driven to a square dance event, Which I never had been before and to be sincere never heard about. Tiptoeing in the room I found my place not as a dancer. Although, the singer kindly invited us all to take part in. I found my place as an observer and eventuallly photographer or recording videos. From that perspective, I saw the singer become a teacher and the dancers become her fellow devoted students. What stroke me most was that through clear commands and real knowledge of the subject, the singer turned teacher set an atmosphere of learning that somehow, I saw as special. All the dancers – students – got engaged and even those not acquainted with the dance before were in the end dancing and enjoying – learning as well – just like those regulars. That moment, I realized that if all the students go really open to learn and the teacher set achievable tasks, learning do take place,

Obviously in a regular class, it wouldn´t be perhaps so spontaneous or dynamics all the time but surely it can be meaningful, fun and  why not sensual and culturally historical for all involved.